...Gang Violence: What Really is Going on? Professor Holly Walpole ENG 1270: English Composition II Module 4: Research Paper Indiana Tech 10 December 2014 Outline THESIS: Gang violence is an escalating problem in American society today I. Gangs in the United States are becoming more violent and deadly than ever. Thousands of people are dying each year from these ill-mannered thugs. II. Gangs within the past two decades, beginning in the early 1980’s a growing concern has been focused on what can be considered a social epidemic among the youth of our nation. III. In recent times, the news media has cried out against violent media, painting it as the leading cause for youth violence. Gang violence is an escalating problem in American society today. The article offers developments on the research initiated in the 1990 related to the gangs in America. It also examines the increasing proliferation of criminal gangs of Central America origin. Furthermore, it considers the threat that gang violence and gang criminal syndicalism pose to U.S. regional security and foreign policy objectives when gang widening reaches that third generation gangs. There are many different factors that can be blamed for this problem. During the last decade of the twentieth century people began searching for answers to this dilemma which is haunting America. Many tragic school shootings have taken place within the last decade that have the attention of the public. As of now, no one...
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...Imagine a family’s blood line ending because of one simple mistake. Many families face this because their children get involved with dangerous activities revolving around the concept of gangs. In fact, 68% of the victims in gang-related homicides had a criminal record in 2010 (Mahony, 2010). In Canada, the number of youth gangs is increasing which is instigating a lot of concern. The concern, however, is not enough to eliminate all gangs and change the damage that has been done. This is mainly because there are many aspects of youth gangs, including family, community, and peer groups. In several cases, families initiate a child’s desire to join a youth gang directly or indirectly. Some people experience difficult family conditions which drive...
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...Violence is one of the most damaging acts that society often faces. By instilling fear and creating distrust, violence has become a prominent problem in society. Gangs use violence as a primary operating procedure to gain power and regulate drug sales. Gang violence is a domain expansion of the general social problem of violence. Gang activity is very prevalent in lower income neighborhoods and ethnic ghettos where underprivileged children are often recruited. Economic hardships often fall on families with children under the age of 18. Poverty stricken adolescences commonly resort to gangs because a gang can give youth a sense of control and a way to make money. Youth that are craving a role model can seek this out in a gang. Uniting as a gang is a way many oppressed individuals overcome prejudices. A gang can offer its members a sense of protection and belonging. Many of the inequalities that gang members fight against stem from racism and from the fact that they are of a minority group. In this nation there is a high value placed on being "white". Ore claims that inequality stems from the values we as a society attach to the differences we see between us and other people. The key way that gangs lash out against this inequality is through violence. Violence has become a standard operating procedure with in gangs. "Gang violence appeared to be motivated by a desire for material gain and a related desire to exert control over public facilities and resources." (Miller 1977) The...
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...Costanza and Ronald Helms. "Street Gangs and Aggregate Homicides: An Analysis of Effects During the 1990s Violent Crime Peak" Homicide Studies 16(3): 280-307. June 11, 2012. Online. June 12, 2013. City-level violence escalated and peaked during the 1990’s, which possibly caused a similarly high homicide rate. Many studies have linked gang activity with higher rates of violent crimes. This study uses empirical research to link gang violence with homicide rates. A majority of studies only looked at the micro level of gang attribute violence and homicide correlation. Costanza focused on the macro level using 154 U.S. cities to determine if active gangs directly correlated with homicide rates. Criminologist in the 1990’s paid special attention to the structural factors contributing to the all-time peak of violence in the young men demographic. Researchers have remained focused on the patterns of homicide within the context of the violence peak in the 90’s. Costanza chose to “focus explicitly on the plausible empirical link between street gangs and homicide offending in central cities throughout the Unites States”. The factors that lead to an increase in homicide include the drug market, guns, and gang presence. Recent studies have shown that it is a combination of factors, as opposed to just financial opportunity, that lead to gang membership. The reason for the lack of macro level studies of gang violence has been due to the lack of gang related studies. Maxson in 1992, published...
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...The effects of Gang Violence Gangs have been around since the beginning of time. Humans have always banded together for mutual protection and support - and to better dominate others. Gangs have always provided a way for people to more effectively get what they want, especially if it comes to force. And weaker members of society gravitate toward gangs that they feel can offer a sense of community and protection from others. But today were going to reflect on the effects of the most modern gangs. I watched the movie “Boys In The Hood” Directed by John Singleton in 1991. And it was an onscreen representation of what takes place in the urban areas of our country. Street gangs in the U.S. arose with Italian immigrants related to the Sicilian Mafia and others. These street gangs in New York City stole and killed to get what they wanted. One of the most famous street gang members was Al Capone, who later moved to Chicago in 1919 to help keep the other gangsters in order. Street gangs of this type were quite popular in the 1920s and 1930s.Gang Violence as we know goes beyond racial barriers, but it more vividly affects black and Latinos in America. I have chosen this topic because I have witnessed the effects of gang violence culturally, socially, and personally. It’s no secret that even St.Louis, MO is well known for gang violence. I don’t condone gangs but there are key factors that give reason for its existence. Gangs today have similar practices of creating their own sub-language...
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...gangsssssssssss History Gangs have been in existence since the dawn of man. It has never been unusual to see small bands of men protect each other through committing crimes that sometimes involve violence. Gangs in the United States have existed since the 1800s. In the Western regions, gangs of people used to rob trains of passenger's money. They would also steal cattle from unsuspecting cowboys. Other cultural gangs formed on the East Coast as immigrants poured into large, urban cities. The movie "Gangs of New York" was a historically based film that outlined those gangs. The Capone gang and other mobsters began terrorizing neighborhoods in the early 1900s. Today, many American gangs are formed not only in cities but in suburban neighborhoods as well with the common purpose of dealing drugs. Function A gang usually functions through high levels of organization and within their specific cultures. The Mafia, for example, was mostly limited to Catholic Italians from Sicily. The New York gangs of the mid-1800s were drawn from their immigrant and non-immigrant statuses such as Irishmen and those who considered themselves "natives" of America. Organization is typically made up of one head per "family" that evenly divides territory among other gangs within the culture. The head usually has one other member seen as the number-two man. Underneath those two are several captains that are in charge of any moneymaking operations that the head man authorizes to take place. Sponsored...
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...Gang Membership Esmeralda Sinanovic Thomas Edison State College February 09, 2014 Gang Membership “According to the 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment report, gangs are responsible for an average of 48 percent of violent crime in most jurisdictions, and up to 90 percent in others” (Gangs, n.d.). Such high numbers in crime involvement raise a concern. What are some characteristics of gangs? Gang members mostly are males with females being 20%-40% of gang members. According to NYGC 2012 survey most gang members are above age 18 with some as young as 11 years old with gang membership peak of 14 and 15 years old (Egley, Maxon, Miller, & Klein, 2014). When compared across area survey 1996-2011 surveys show that larger cities and suburbs where gangs have been for a long time, have more adult gang members than juvenile. Across all area types, the majority of law enforcement agencies report that African-American/black and/or Hispanic/Latino individuals predominate all gangs. (National Youth Gang Survey Analysis, n.d.). In early 1900s gangs were described based on their nationality while after 1950s gangs were identifies by race and ethnicity (Egley, Maxon, Miller, & Klein, 2014).Criminal behavior is the main characteristic of all gangs across all areas. The majority of crimes that gangs are involved are drug sales, aggravating assaults, robbery, firearm sales, breaking and entering, auto theft, and larceny. Researchers have brought forth theories on why youth joins...
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...Adolescents Dr. Lawrence Rubin Capstone Module 4 People join gangs for many reasons, not least to fulfill the universal needs among young people for status, identity and companionship. There is some evidence to suggest low self-esteem has a significant relationship with the characteristic features of gang membership: aggression, antisocial and offending behavior. Other important psychological motivations contributing to gang membership include the need for money, protection against victimization, connectedness to others in the gang, the need for status and respect, and excitement (Madden, 2013). As a former probation officer, I was able to supervise and form relationships with a significant amount of gang members. I was able to see firsthand the risk factors that circle around the neighborhoods where gang activity was prevalent. Gang membership doesn’t just appear in a vacuum. There are so many different forces at play and risk factors that coincide with mental health problems in these environments including: low-income households, unemployment, use of illicit substances, low parental involvement, low educational attainment, and involvement in the criminal justice system. As a therapist, I realize there will be numerous mental health issues that will be challenging. There appears to be a high prevalence of conduct and antisocial personality disorders among the gang membership population. Violence before age 15 that persists into adulthood is one of criteria for...
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...Abuse. Physiological Effects * Physiological effects of drug abuse vary by the type of drug. Stimulants, such as amphetamines, can delay sleep and elevate a person's mood, but high amounts can cause nervousness and anxiety in the user. Depressants, by contrast, impair mental and physical functions, and slow neural activity in the brain. With some drugs, especially narcotics such as opium or heroin, the body can build a tolerance in which it adjusts to the drug's presence. Over time, the body requires higher doses to maintain the same effect. When an abuser stops taking the drug, the body experiences withdrawal symptoms, such as feeling weak or sick. Withdrawal symptoms are the body's reaction to the absence of the drug to which it had become adjusted. Social Effects * The social effects of drug abuse begin with abusers and their families. Substance abuse has been a factor in divorce, family violence and related problems. The social effects extend into the larger society, as well, such as through crimes committed by drug abusers to get money needed to feed drug habits. Further, the lucrative nature of drug trafficking fuels crime as rival drug gangs fight for control of the traffic. The U.S. government, for example, noted increased drug-related violence on the U.S.-Mexico border and cited drug gangs in these areas as the nation's leading organized crime threat Economic Effects * Reports by UNDCP have pointed out that the economic effects of drug abuse can be measured...
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...environment? For the kids and teachers at Notre Dame Preparatory this might be a literal hell, however, this is what normal school is like for inner city kids. Moreover, Author Anne Beatty, wrote “Survival Skills at a School in LA” published in 2013 in The American Scholar, argues that the system has given up on these kids long before they have started; and fails to provide the basic needs causing them to turn towards gang related violence. Thus, Beatty’s arguments begin to showcase her use of emotional appeals to the readers, which by the end of the article she defends her statements...
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...Why Do Urban Youth Join gangs? There is no universal agreed upon definition of a gang. According to the national institute of justice the federal definition is “An association of three or more individuals whose members collectively identify themselves by adopting a group identity, which they use to create an atmosphere of fear or intimidation, frequently by employing one or more of the following: a common name, slogan, identifying sign, symbol, tattoo or other physical marking, style or color of clothing, hairstyle, hand sign or graffiti.” The purpose of a gang is to engage in criminal activity and which uses violence or intimidation to further its criminal objectives. Gangs come in all different types, there are multiple types of gangs; for example motorcycle gangs, prison gangs, hate groups, adult organized crime groups, terrorist organizations and other types of security threat groups. The reasons people tend to join gangs are lack of jobs, poverty, domestic violence, and lack of education. The most common age for youth to join a gang is between 13 and 15. Youth join gangs for various reasons; money, sense of support and belonging, peer status, and a sense of protection are seemingly provided by the gang. Youth in gangs are more likely to abuse drugs, engage in high risk sexual behaviors, and experience long term health and social consequences. The reason that today’s youth join gangs is because of environmental factors, early academic failure and lack of school attachment...
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...Victomology Victims of Crimes and the Media Violent crime, gangs, and drugs are tearing our families apart. Violent crime and victims have become an issue in America and the rest of world. The negative effects of television, Movie Theater or any kind of media is affecting our children and teenagers. Statistics indicate a decline in violent crimes in our country and an increase in our national population in prisons. It is indisputable that our families are the victims in these drugs, gangs and organized crime issues in our communities. Nobody can discussed or argue that we need to stop this malicious act of violence. In addition, nobody can disagree that this violent crime is hard to fight. Gangs are born in impoverished sections of major cities. However, gangs and drugs activities are not limited to inner cities. Gangs and drugs are in suburbs and rural communities and in communities of great economic diversity. Gangs do not recruit certain type of race, economy or cultural status. Exist in every level and every kind of community. (Stewart, 1989). Therefore, our problem is everywhere and anywhere. The lack of parental supervision, employment, recreational opportunity and breakdown in family structure are the main reasons why our children are joining the ranks of these organized criminal institutions. It could be wrong to say it, but the truth is these gangs provide them (our children) with enough companionship, protection...
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...Gang activities in Chicago and it suburbs. Introduction Deindustrialization brought the new generation of young gangsters. Its number increases every year, all over the country, in cities of different sizes. Are those gangs the product of restructuring economics? Can they be considered a new social minority? What policy should the community use to control this problem? I decided to write my research paper about the gang activities during the deindustrialization because I think it is very important for political scientist to research how economical and political changes may impact the society and public policy. In my work I answer such questions as what challenges the urban administration experiences during the globalization and how to respond to them. This topic has its actuality today because gangs are becoming a new social “underclass”. (Taylor, 1990, p. 81) What does it mean? With the end of industrialization era a lot of job opportunities disappeared for a new generation of youth. Moreover, gang bands usually act as well-armed economic groups. As the result, many young males were involved in street gang activities such as drug dealing and other criminals. Once those young ones fall in criminal they stay involved in gang activities even when they become adult. (Hagedorn, 1991, p.529) It is remarkable to notice that Mass Media also had its role in growing new population of gangs. The Hollywood industry usually shows images of rich, famous gangsters...
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...the movie “Public Enemies” starring Johnny Depp, it portrays a rough outline of the infamous John Dillinger and his gang. When I first saw this movie I was amazed because the story that they showed wasn't at all what I expected, I expected to see all major crimes take place one after another and grueling shootouts the whole movie but they showed his kind and calm side and it actually turned out to be a great movie. Another example of crime and the movies but on the other side of the law would be any of the “X-Men” series. These people may be mutants but most of them use their gifts for good rather than break the law. A classic example would be “Robin Hood”, he broke the law only to help those in need. (rottentomatoes.com) There are other examples where crime and the movies coexist on both sides of the law, whether it would be cheering for the good guy or cringing when a killer kills their victim, movies cannot show you the whole story and cannot show you the real justice system. During my research I came across this essay called “Does Movie Violence Increase Violent Crime?” (Dahl & DellaVigna, 2006) an excerpt from the essay caught my attention because I believe it is true. That excerpt says: “Warnings about media violence are largely based on the psychological research. As Anderson and Buschman (2001) summarize it, “Five decades of research into the effects of exposure to violent television and movies have produced thoroughly documented research findings. It is now known...
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...Ryan Boeh Music apparition American gangster Rap is a popular type of music in today's society, but it didn't just come to be. In the 1970's rap emerged from other types of music to become what it is today. Rap is influenced and inspired by other types of music. Its influences are closely related to each other. Rap music has derived from various types of music. In a world in which people are constantly confronted with violent acts such as rape, assault, murder, school shootings and other violence's, society is eager and anxious to find and remove all causes of these cultural ills. All the blame can not be put on one particular thing but a heavier degree of blame can be put on one thing. Some of the violent acts listed above are expressed through music. Gangster rap, which followed rap music, developed in the 1980's. Though the immaturity and lack of teaching morals has an impact on how we view and take in things, the context of gangster rap presents a negative image for people in society. Rap music has derived from other music categories. One of the first musical influences on rap music is hip hop. Hip hop is comprised of graffiti, break dancing, attitude and the dress of the people who listened to it. The start of hip hop, along with rap, can be located in the Bronx of New York. There were three major events that occurred in the Bronx that contributed to the hip hop subculture. The first event was the building of an expressway through the Bronx. This plan was carried...
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